Temple company makes $14.1 million offer to expand jail

by Bob CampbellMidland Reporter-Telegram

Published 6:00 pm, Monday, January 11, 2010

The Temple construction company building the $1 million white tent jail dome on the west side of Midland County Central Detention Center is the apparent low bidder by $51,000 for Phase 2 of Sheriff Gary Painter's jail expansion project.

Authorized for $22 million in expenditures in a November 2008 bond election, the project will cost some $7 million less than that with MW Builders of Texas' low offer of $14.149 million, county commissioners indicated.

They heard architect Gary Vandergriff say the rankings committee that listed MW first among seven companies will require a financial report and other information before recommending the court sign a contract to build the 216-bed jail on the south side of the central unit by mid-2011. The minimum security 72-bed tent jail is scheduled to be opened next month.

Introducing MW Project Manager Billy Reynolds of Midland, County Purchasing Agent Bob Henderson said the next best offers were from Ridgemont Commercial Construction of Irving with $14,200,000 and VCC General Contractor of Dallas with $14,400,000.

Painter said afterward that he was "very happy so many bids came in that low.

"It will be profitable for the citizens of Midland County and we're excited that we'll be able to put in all three 72-bed housing units to go with the tent," Painter said. "Within the neighborhood of 500 beds, we'll be able to handle the jail count for a long time to come and assist the U.S. Marshals Service a little better."

It will provide a 200-bed increase after the 100 bed jail in the old county courthouse is closed. The central unit has about 200.

The bids were analyzed in December by County Judge Mike Bradford, Dallas architect Curt Pardee, Port Arthur governmental consultant Carl Griffith and Vandergriff, who said Phase 2 will be an off-white pre-engineered metal building with beige trim, a metal roof with stucco and architecture matching the central unit.

Henderson said an offer by the FJW Group of Arlington was rejected because it was submitted seven minutes past the 3 p.m. Dec. 15 deadline.

Midland is already familiar with MW Builders, which has reconstructed Centennial Plaza and built Scharbauer Sports Complex, the Midland International Airport terminal and Marian Blakemore Planetarium — — —